News

Easysteel new design build premises in Christchurch

Easysteel is poised to construct ahuge new design build in Christchurch to store, process and distribute its steel products.

Its new facility comprises a 10,000m2 factory and 550m2 office at Sir James Wattie Drive in Hornby Quadrant, owned by Calder Stewart, which is handling the design build.

Easysteel General Manager Hamish McBeath said the company decided on the design build so that it could tailor the brief. The build will include three 24m bays, a nine metre stud height, two truck driveways through the width of the factory, and a 35mpa concrete floor.

"Fletcher Building has an ongoing commitment to support the Christchurch rebuild, demonstrated by this new facility. We have an 18 year lease and the aim is to relocate in July/August next year."

Head of Fletcher Building Property, Ernest Francis and his colleague Mark North,and with a lot of support work from Nichole Moynagh in the FB Internal legal department, all worked tirelessly with our external lawyers Bell Gully to get this lease across the line.

Sam Staite of Colliers International, its director of industrial sales and leasing, said the deal exemplified why design builds are so popular.

"They mean a business can have a building constructed to their exact requirements. Depending on the scale and complexity of a project, and the business' decision-making process, it's crucial to allow a minimum of 12 months from start to finish. In fact, ideally, a business should be thinking about their move two years out from their target relocation date."

Kevin Arthur, development manager for Calder Stewart, said it could be a daunting process for businesses to manage themselves. "There's a huge amount of red tape and potential pitfalls for businesses that attempt to manage the development process themselves – everything from applying the rules in the City Plan, which are currently undergoing a comprehensive re-write, managing the design process, obtaining the correct consents, appointing and managing contractors, and controlling costs. All while carrying on their day-job.

"A properly run design and build process effectively transfers responsibility for all these matters to the developer."